Ready, Set, Groom

Ready, Set, Groom: The Importance of Pet Prep Work

Successful groomers will tell you the basis of a great groom is in the “prep work.” This means that no matter how beautifully you clip, scissor, and sculpt, the dog you groom will not look its best if the coat is improperly prepared. 

It all starts with a proper bath. Pets come to us with oil, dirt, and unmentionable yuck in their fur. Assess each pet and decide what shampoo will work best. Is the coat clumpy, stringy, and greasy looking? If so, you might choose to start with a degreasing shampoo. Does it need whitening? Will you be deshedding and detangling? Decide what that pet needs and get washing with the appropriate product. This is also time to decide if you can clean the pet with one shampoo or if two (or three!) shampoos are necessary. 

Dog’s faces tend to have specific cleaning needs. Greasy hair around the base of the ears, crusty build-up under the eyes, and all the things the dog has been eating clinging around the mouth. Many groomers use tearless or specialty-designed facial products to tackle these areas. Once you have the face well lathered, you can use a fine-toothed or flea comb to slide stubborn gunk out and wash it away. 

Once the pet is clean, following up with a conditioner will help replace the natural oils the shampoo has removed and make the coat more manageable. 

Squeeze as much water out of the coat as you can with your hands, then use a super-absorben towel You will be amazed at how much drying time this saves you. Finish up with a terry towel and move on to drying the dog. 

A light mist of your favorite coat spray can be applied and brushed through a bit. Then, use your high-velocity dryer to blow moisture from the fur. 

Once the dog is completely dried, spritz with a little more coat spray and brush through every part of the coat from nose to tail tip, removing any loose hair and all tangles. Finish by going over the dog with a comb to ensure you haven’t missed any thick spots. 

Once the claws have been trimmed and the ears checked, the dog on your table is clean, conditioned, dried, brushed, and combed. Your dog is now beautifully prepared, and you can complete the style you and the pet owner have chosen. Perfecting prep work will take your grooming up a level. 

 

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Daryl Conner, MPS Meritus, CMCG has been devoted to making dogs and cats more comfortable and beautiful for 40 years.  You can find her happily working at FairWinds Grooming Studio with her daughter or typing away at her latest grooming-related article. Daryl was awarded both a Cardinal Crystal Award and Barkleigh Honors Award for journalism.  She shares her meadow-hugged antique Maine farmhouse with her practically perfect husband and a lot of animals.